Two killed in Saturday morning accident

ARENAC COUNTY — Two people were killed in an accident that occurred on northbound I-75 Saturday morning.

Exchange students Ran Xu, 22, and Zhangqin Xie, 23, were killed in the accident, according to Michigan State Trooper Jesse Diaz. Three passengers in the vehicles, Chang Gong, 23, Wenting Cheng, 22 and Linling Cai, 22, all suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were still hospitalized as of Monday afternoon, according to Diaz.

Xu was reportedly driving the vehicle at the time of the incident.

According to a press release from the Michigan State Police, the accident occurred near mile marker 198 at approximately 8:42 a.m., Oct. 16. The accident caused the closure of northbound I-75 between Exit 195 and 202, Saturday morning.

Four of the five victims were foreign exchange students at the University of Michigan. The fifth, Cai, was an exchange student at Michigan State University.

Diaz said Monday that the accident is still under investigation.

The West Branch MSP was assisted at the scene by both the Arenac and Ogemaw county sheriff’s departments The Moffat Township and Sterling Area fire departments, and the Arenac County MMR and St. Mary’s life flight also assisted.

The West Branch MSP was assisted at the scene by both the Arenac and Ogemaw county sheriff’s departments The Moffat Township and Sterling Area fire departments, and the Arenac County MMR and St. Mary’s life flight also assisted.